Nancy is a breast cancer patient and these are five lessons she’s learned throughout her treatment, applicable to anyone who has faced the adversity of being a patient:
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Attitude of gratitude.
Cancer taught me to me thankful for things you take for granted. After not having hair, I sure do love and miss my hair, but I never loved my hair until I no longer had it. What a great lesson.
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You got this.
I am not sure who told me that, but knowing someone believed in me enough to say those three little words really encouraged me. Also, three great words to say to yourself anytime you are starting something new like learning how to shoot a gun.
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Find a way…
…are three words I put on my mirror after learning Diana Nyad story, the 64 year old woman who swam the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida on her 5th attempt. I feel empowered every time I say these words to myself and it helps my brain to only think about a solution and not the problem.
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Laugh as much as you can.
The cancer center gave me what I thought was some kind of big band aid for a shot I would be getting the next day; it even had name of the shot Neulasta on it. So the first day after chemo, I show up for my Neulasta shot with the band aid and after I get my shot I hand it to the nurse. She [then] says “why are you handing me your seat belt protector for your port?” I could not stop laughing at myself because once she told me what it was, I realized how could I have ever thought it was anything other than a seat belt protector?!
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The support you give and receive is more important than you realize.
Cancer taught me to value and appreciate myself more. I have played the support role most my life to my children, a husband, and others, but then I became the one who needed support. I could not have made it through without the support of my family, friends, prayers and great medical staff.
